Sudan's Oil richies and how it is spending it

[Suldaanka]

Sudan, prabably the richest country in the East African block, is doubling its oil output up from 0.5 million to 1 million bpd by next year.

 

This will fetch the country huge lotta money in the billions.

 

So how is Sudan managing this flood of richies?

 

Firstly, they are building a 450 million dollar first class airport, with a capacity to handle upto 8 million passengers of traffic annually.

 

Sudan also recently completed millions worth of government building renovations including the building of the new Sudanese Bank and number of other state institutions that now dominate the Khartoum skylines.

 

Sudan is also arming itself with millions worth of armory and fighter jets bought from China.

[Jabhad]

By offering contract to companies other than USA, this may lead to sanctions imposed on Sudan.

[Castro]

^ As if China gives a flying fcuk about US sanctions imposed on anyone. They now have the economic and military capacity to force the US to behave. It would be nice if all the countries now squeezed by the US would sign free trade agreements with China. If I were they, I'd go for the new empire on the block rather than the old, decrepit and dying one.

[Jabhad]

Mr Castro, I guess you heard the news of China becoming the world's 4th largest economy just behind the USA, Japan and Germany. By 2010, the already dead empire, the old USA, will no longer be number #1.

[Castro]

^ Indeed. The showdown is imminent.

 

Though US hegemony has long been hated in the world, still, the US has a golden opportunity to right the wrongs of the past and of the now. It has, well within its hands, the ability to forge a new world order. One were it does not arm itself to the teeth and force others to do the same. One were double standards (such as in Palestine) do not go unaddressed for decades. One were income disparity between rich and poor nations creates massive, often deadly, migrations of peoples. Alas, the myopia that is an empire will prevent it from creating such an order. My prediction is that before this empire goes down, we will have seen death and destruction we never thought were possible.

[Suldaanka]

Energy is where the game is on at the moment. Both countries want to secure as many energy sources as they can possibly find.

 

The Middle East which holds the largest known oil reserves yet, is clearly a US stronghold. The Chinese have Iran as their main reliable energy source.

 

Russia (the secord largest net exporter of Energy) is a wildcard, they will play their cards as they see fit.

 

In South America, Brazil, the largest country and currently an aspiring new powerbroker of the region, has Latin America on its side.

 

Eventhough, its a shortterm playing ground for both gaints, Africans still makes their own choices as to who they'll sell their oil to, something that can not be said about the shameful Arabs.

[Maf Kees]

No doubt, the Chinese are courting the Africans, including the Somalis. Mainly to quench it's seemingly limitless thirst for energy and minerals of which Africa has plenty. China-Africa trade is jumping year after year. Between 2002 and 2003 even with 50%!

 

Maybe we are witnessing another scramble for Africa. The US that took their hegemony over Africa for granted is seeing how China is taking a stronger foothold in the dark continent. The US of course pulled out their magical Democracy card and attack China for damaging Africa's quest towards greater democracy by supporting Zimbabwe and Sudan.

 

I think China and Africa could have a fruitful relationship. China needs energy and an outlet and Africa needs investment and an honest partner. The hell with Taiwan, that filthy rich island can take care of itself. Africa needs to get paid, so we need to ride with China. We are too broke to be righteous.

 

What role does Somalia have in this? Potentially more than most other African nations, but as always it needs to get it's act together. China has been trying to go second base with Somalia since the 70s. Building the only Laami that connects North and South and the National Theatre. Now anno 2005, Chinese firms have shown keen interest in Somalia's recovery zones: Somaliland NW Somalia and Puntland NE Somalia. The new Chinese president Hu Jintao has sent an invitation to the new Somali president Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed for talks in Beijing in January 2006 after a friendly gesture presented through China's ambassador to Kenya in Jowhar recently.

 

Imagine what happens when Somalia has a government in place. Suldaaanka, who knows Somalia might shift from it's self-destructing road to zero to the same path Sudan is walking on right now. You never know what the future is about to behold or am I being too optimistic now?